wood chipper

Just2quickz28 · Sep 8, 2009

o2batsea said:
You'll need at least a 65 HP tractor to drive a chipper that's worth a darn. In addition, you are tying up the tractor to drive an implement when you need the tractor to do your log skidding. Search for a good used Vermeer or Brush Bandit, at least 9 inch capacity and forget the three point chippers. When you are finished with it, you can pretty much sell it for what you paid or even a little more if you clean it up.

I run a 4inch capacity Patu DC 40 chipper on my BX24 (way less than a 65hp machine) anything this thing can't handle is fire wood. I have a pretty good set up when I use my chipper. Take the tree down take all the brush and send it through the chipper which tosses the chips into the front halve of my 4x8 trailer hooked up to my ATV, then I cut up the log and toss the peices in the back of the trailer for transport or split them and move them right to the wood pile. If I am splitting on site I will tow the splitter out before hand with The ATV. I use the wood chips for soaking up mud in the horse paddocks and spreading out on the horse trails.

I never thought I was tying up my tractor creating something I would use. Plus not waiting for winter to burn the brush helps too. I think the 65HP comment is not justified.

athomp · Sep 8, 2009

I had cleared some land for a house. The spruce, maple and birch went into the house and I let the neighbour take the rest for firewood so there are branches all over the place, not to mention a lot of brush and dead stuff in the woods that I'll want to clean up over the next few years. Anything that's fit to burn I'll give to the neighbour so There's not going to be any big stuff.
I want to go to the brush, not be hauling the stuff to the chipper. Some of it's in the woods so 3PH is the best way to go.
I won't be using the chips, I just plan to blow them into the woods.
There are very few used chippers available around here and the closest Jinma dealer is about 5 hours away.
Thanks for the responses.

Treemonkey1000 · Sep 8, 2009

As much chipping as I do for my tree business I make piles of chips where I store the chips. Then I give them away to folks that can use them. If I don't want to haul them from the chop site and I can leave them for the customer I do. Hardwood chips like Maple make great bedding chips. Cedar chips are great for flowers and around a house to help control bugs. People with horses use the chips for around the stalls. Chips from Evergreens are good for High PH type plants like Rhodies and tomatoes. Keep that in mind if you get a chipper. Plus having chips around might be a way to meet you neighbors and have them keep an eye on the place for you..
For me it wouldn't be practicle to haul my tractor and a chipper to the customers. So that's why I like the towable Vermeer 6" chipper. Keep your eyes on Craigslist and Ebay you may find a chipper for a decent price. Or trade services with someone who has one in your area.

easygo · Sep 8, 2009

Treemonkey1000 said:
As much chipping as I do for my tree business I make piles of chips where I store the chips. Then I give them away to folks that can use them. If I don't want to haul them from the chop site and I can leave them for the customer I do. Hardwood chips like Maple make great bedding chips. Cedar chips are great for flowers and around a house to help control bugs. People with horses use the chips for around the stalls. Chips from Evergreens are good for High PH type plants like Rhodies and tomatoes. Keep that in mind if you get a chipper. Plus having chips around might be a way to meet you neighbors and have them keep an eye on the place for you..
For me it wouldn't be practicle to haul my tractor and a chipper to the customers. So that's why I like the towable Vermeer 6" chipper. Keep your eyes on Craigslist and Ebay you may find a chipper for a decent price. Or trade services with someone who has one in your area.

Very good points and description for the uses. Thanks.
I guess if I had a tree business I sure would get very frustrated very fast with the chipper I have now.

o2batsea · Sep 9, 2009

Why would you give that advice when you don't even know what he wants to chip? Besides the Vermier you are talking about costs a big pile of dimes and the OP wants to spend less then $2200.

a "chipper" rated for anything less than 6 inches is a mulcher, not a chipper. If the OP is interested in reducing trees and brush to small material without the trouble and danger of manual feed, he needs to look hard for a used unit. I never suggested he buy a new one...you read that in there somehow. My 9 inch Brush Bandit model 90 was under 3000. It has all the oomph needed to chop pretty much anything I'll ever need to. It's got rust spots, needs a paint job and will never win any beauty contests. It will probably outlive me.

So. Athomp! What are the plans for the chipper? Scale of operation? It sounds like your tractor would have the HP to handle a good size unit.

Most people use the chippers to do away with brush piles and not feed whole USEFUL logs into them. I for one don't put anything into the chipper that is larger then 4" diameter, because there is use for that kind of stuff around the house. If it comes to hardwood I burn anything that is larger then 2" for firewood.

Believe it or not, not everyone has a fireplace or means or place or desire to burn what may be many tons worth of tree. Getting rid of it is the whole point with a chipper. I would submit most people use chippers for making little tiny bits out of trees and branches, not as an adjunct to a logging operation.
Granted, when taking down trees there will often be pieces that are just too big for a portable chipper. That's what those giant tub grinders at the landfill are for.

GE222 · Sep 10, 2009

I own a 6" Morbark tow behind chipper that hardly ever sees much more than 3" or so. Anything larger is cut for firewood.

There are occasionally on ebay, craigs list and local listings, older, "Chuck and Duck" drum style chippers that I have seen under $2000.

As previously mentioned, one can be fabricated, but making it really safe to use will be a primary concern.

For a bunch of years I used to feed small brush into an older New Holland 717 corn silage chopper. It was run with a Farmall M just above idle. Made the brush really vanish quick!

easygo · Sep 10, 2009

o2batsea

Read the followup post written by the OP a day before your reply.

athomp said:
I had cleared some land for a house. The spruce, maple and birch went into the house and I let the neighbour take the rest for firewood so there are branches all over the place, not to mention a lot of brush and dead stuff in the woods that I'll want to clean up over the next few years. Anything that's fit to burn I'll give to the neighbour so There's not going to be any big stuff.
I want to go to the brush, not be hauling the stuff to the chipper. Some of it's in the woods so 3PH is the best way to go.
I won't be using the chips, I just plan to blow them into the woods.
There are very few used chippers available around here and the closest Jinma dealer is about 5 hours away.
Thanks for the responses.

easygo · Sep 10, 2009

As for the original question. Used chippers are tough to come by here too. I lucked out with a 4.5" capacity Goossen that was only 40 min drive from my house. If you have to drive several hours it will be a one time thing for the pickup and then just use it for years and keep the knifes sharp.